Internal-combustion engine



Aug. 21, 1923.

F. R. PORTER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 11 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 21, 1923.

1,465,560 F. R. PORTER INTERNAL COMBUS TIQN ENGINE Filed Jan. 11 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug.21,1923.

, @JNEFEE TATE5 career crates.

FINLEY R. PORTER, OF PORT JEFFERSON, NFRV YORK, ASSIGNOR T KNIGHT AMERICAN PATENTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed January 11, 1917. Serial No. 141,818.

T 0 all 20 ham it may concern Be it known that I, FINLEY R. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Port Jefferson, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Internal- Combustion ltngines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts of an internal combustion engine of the four-cycle type, whereby the efiiciency of the engine may be materially increased by permitting extremely high compression without danger of pre-ignition; the spark plug being protected from extreme heat and kept free from oil and carbon deposits by 10- cating it in a separate firing chamber which. is brought at proper intervals into communication with the interior of the cylinder by the movement of a valve to permit the separate firingchamber to receive a fresh supply of gas, to compress the gas, and to permit the escape of the ignited gas to fire the charge within the cylinder.

Means may also be provided for cooling the piston, which means will not be described nor claimed herein but forms the subject matter of my co-pending application filed January 6, 1917, Serial No. 1-t0,960.

I have chosen to illustrate and describe my invention in connection with the internal combustion engine of the four-cycle horizontally opposed multi-cylinder type which forms the subject matter of my copending application filed October 31, 1916, Serial No. 128,732.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a detail section through two opposed cylinders and their interposed valve, the parts being in the positions which they assume when the valve cylinder inlet ports are open,

Fig. 2 is a section taken in the plane of the line II-II of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken in the plane of the line III-III of Fig. 1, with the parts in the positions they assume as the valve cylinder supply ports are just opening,

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the parts in the positions they assume as the valve cylinder supply ports are closing.

. Fi 5 is a similar section with the parts in the positions they assume immediately after the charge in the separate firing chamber has been fired,

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the positions which the parts assume as the valve cylinder exhaust ports are just about to Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the positions which the parts assume as the valve cylinder exhaust ports are just about to close, and

Fig. 8 is a detail section similar to Fig. 1, with the parts in the positions they assume immediately after the firing of the charge in the separate chamber (as shown in Fig. 5).

In the embodiment. of my invention illustrated in the drawings, .a vertically disposed rotary valve and its casing is interposed between the inner ends of a pair of horizontally opposed cylinders, the pistons for said cylinders being connected through the outer ends of the cylinders with their respective crank shafts, not shown herein.

The vertically arranged hollow rotary valve for the pair of horizontally opposed cylinders has an axially arranged downwardly extended tubular portion 1, an upwardly extended axially arranged tubular portion 2 and an intermediate enlarged tubular tapered portion 3, which intermediate portion is divided into a gas supply chamber l and an exhaust chamber 5. The gas supply chamber 1 is in open communication with the interior of the downwardly extended tubular portion 1 and has diametrically opposed cylinder supply ports 6 opening through the face ofthe valve. The ex haust chamber 5 is in open communication with the interior of the upwardly extended tubular portion 2 and has diametrically opposed exhaust ports 7 opening through the face of the valve.

The valve casing'8 has a tapered seat-9 provided with a suitable lining 10 for receiving the tapered portion of the valve: The said'casing is rovideol, at diametrically opposite points, with combined cylinder supply and exhaust ports 11 at all times in open communication with the interiors of the pair of horizontally opposed cylinders 12. The pistons, fitted to reciprocate in the cylinders 12, are denoted by 13.

The valve is rotated by any suitable means, as. for instance, by providing the down- '9 for the valve casing, is provided with an annular groove 17 open to the face of the valve and forming, in conjunction therewith, a separate firing chamber.

, Branches 18, arranged diametrically opposite and in the same plane with the cylinder combined supply and exhaust ports 11, extend downwardly along the face of the valve to points where, as the valve is rotated, these branches will bring the interior ofthe separate firing chamber 17 into open communication with the gas supply chamber 4 and the interior of the cylinders through the ports 6 (see Fig. l).

In a plane at right angles to the plane of the branches 18, I provide diametrically opposed branches 19, which lead upwardly from the separate firing chamber 17 along the face of the valve. The valve has dia metrically opposed firing chamber supply ports 21, which are brought into communication with the upwardly extended branch 19 at the same time that the branches 18 are brought into communication with the valve cylinder suppl ports 6.

ranged, as thevalverbtated, to bring the downwardly extendedxbranches 18 of the separate firing chamber 17, into open communicationwith the interiors of the cylinders 12 through the ports 11 at a time when both the valve cylinder supply ports 6 and yll alve gylinder outlet ports 7 are closed (see One or more spark plugs, in the present instance twospark plugs 23, are screwed into the valve casing to bring their sparking points into communication with the separate firing chamber 17.

To facilitate the understanding of the cycle of operations, I have indicated the'positions of the valve cylinder supply ports 6 and the cylinder combined supply and exhaust ports 11 in Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive,.by

' double pointed arrows.

In operation, on the intake stroke of the engine the valve will be moved into position to cause the gas to be drawn from the source of fuel supply through the ports 21 at the upper end of the valve into the upwardly extended branches 19 and from thence into the firing chamber 17 across the inner ends of the spark plugs. From thence the gas passes through the firing chamber 17 to the downwardly extended branches 18 and from thence through the valve cylinder supply ports 6 and the cylinder combined supply and exhaust ports 11 into the combustion chambers of the cylinders. The inflowing The face 0 the valve 1s provided withdiametrically opposed brldge ports 22 armeaeeo the further movement of the valve to close the valve cylinder supply port 6, communication to the firing chamber will also be closed. In the further movement of 'the parts and just previous to the highest point of gas pressure in the combustion chambers due to the inward movement of the pistons, communication is opened to the firing chamber through the bridge ports 22 and chamber branches 18, thereby raising the gas pressure in the firing chamber to the desired point. The gas in the firing chamber is immediatel ignited by the spark plugs and the flames s oot out through the branches 18 and bridge ports 22 (which are still open) into the cylinders, where the main bodies of gas are ignited. The firing chamber is then immediately cut off from the combustion chambers b the further movement of the parts and t e spark plugs and firing chamber are therefore protected from the heating effect of the exhaust gases. These exhaust gases are permitted to escape by the opening of the valve cylinder exhaust ports 7.

From the above description, it will be seen that by roperly timing the opening and closing 0 the ports between the combustion chamber and the firing chamber, the relative pressures in the combustion chambers and firing chamber may be regulated. For instance, a very high compression pressure may be ermitted in the combustion chambersand a relatively low pressure in the firing chamber, thereby permitting the electrical ignition of the charge in the firing chamber,'because of the relatively low pressure at the-spark plug electrodes, and the subsequent ignition of the charge under high pressure in the combustion chambers of the engine. This operation can be accomplished by causing the electrical ignition of the charge in the firing chamber to take place prior to the opening of communication between the firing chamber and the cylinder by means of the bridge ports 22.

It is evident that changes may be resorted to in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth, but- What I claim is:

-1. In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a single firing..cham-' ber, means for igniting the charge therein, and means for opening and closing communication between the combustion chamber and firing chamber subsequently to the firing of the tter.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a single firing chamber, means for igniting the charge therein, and a valve for opening and closing communication between the combustion chamber and firin chamber subsequently to the firing of the atter.

3. In an internal combustion engine, combustion chambers, a single firing chamber,

means for igniting the charge therein, and means for opening and closing communication between the combustion chambers and firing chamber subsequently to the firing of the latter.

4. In an internal combustion engine, combustion chambers, a single firing chamber, means for igniting the charge therein, and a valve for opening and closing communication between the combustion chambers and firing chamber subsequently to the firing of the latter.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a firing chamber, means for igniting the charge therein, a source of fuel supply, and common means for opening and closing communication between the source of fuel supply and the combustion chamber, the source of fuel supply and the firing chamber, and between the firing chamber and combustion chamber subsequently to the firing of the latter.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a firing chamber, means for igniting the charge therein, a source of fuel supply and a valve for opening and closing communication between the source of fuel supply and the combustion chamber, the source of fuel supply and the firing chamber, and between the firing chamber and combustion chamber subsequently to the firing of, the latter- 7. In an internal combustion engine, combustion chambers, a firing chamber, means for igniting the charge therein, a source of fuel supply and common means for opening and closing communication between the source of fuelssupply and the combustion chamber, the source of fuel supply and the firing chamber, and between the firing chamber and combustion chambers, subsequently to the firing of the latter.

8. In an internal combustion engine, combustion chambers, a firing chamber, means for igniting the charge therein, a source of fuel supply, and a valve for opening and clos ng communication between the source of fuel supply and the combustion chamber, the source of fuel supply and the firing chamber, and between the firing chamber and combustion chambers, subsequently to the firing of the latter.

9. In an internal combustion engine, a

combustion chamber, a firing chamber having separate gas inlet and outlet branches, means for igniting the charge in the firing chamber and a gas supply and exhaust controlling valve for the combustion chamber having ports arranged to be brought into and out of communication with their respective firing chamber branches to permit the drawing of the gas through the firing chamber, the compression of the gas therein, and the escape of the ignited gas to the combustion chamber as the valve is moved.

10. In an internal combustion engine, combustion chambers, a firing chamber having separate gas inlet and outlet branches, means for igniting the charge in the firing chamber and a gas supply and exhaust controlling' valve for the combustion chambers, having ports arranged to be brought into and out of communication With their respective firing chamber branches to permit the drawing of the gas through the firing chamber, the compression of the gas therein and the escape of the ignited gas to the combustion chambers as the valve is moved.

11. In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, an annular firing chamber having separate gas inlet and outlet branches, means for igniting the charge in the firing chamber, and a rotary gas supply and exhaust controlling valve for the combustion chamber having ports arranged to be brought into and out of comvmunication with their respective firing chamber branches to permit the drawing of the gas throu h the firing chamber, the compression of tfie gas therein, and the escape of the ignited gas to the combustion chamber as the valve is rotated.

12. In an internal combustion engine, combustion chambers, an annular firing chamber having separate gas inlet and outlet branches, means for igniting the charge in the firing chamber, and a rotary gas supply and exhaust controlling valve for the combustion chamber having ports arranged to be brought into and out of communication with their respective firing chamber branches to permit the drawing of the gas through the firing chamber, the compressionof the gas therein, and the escape of the ignited gas to the combustion chambers, as

the valve is rotated.

13. In an internal combustion engine, a

cylinder, its combustion chamber, a rotary gas supply'and exhaust controlling valve,

its seat, an annular firing chamber in the seat and means for igniting the charge in the firing chamber, said valvebeiIi-g arranged in its rotary movement to permit the draw ing of the gas through the firing chamber, the compression'of the gas therein, and the escape of the ignited gas to the combustion chamber.

14. In an internal combustion engine, cylinders, their combustion chambers, a rotary gas supply and exhaust controlling valve,.

its seat, an annular firing chamber in the valve seat and means for igniting the charge in the firing chamber, said valve being arranged in its rotary movement to permit the drawing of the gas through the firing chamber, the compression of the gas therein and.

the-escape of the ignited ga to the combu'sf tion chambers.

ber arranged to, communicate therewith, a

valve for simultaneously admitting gases to said chambers and subsequently closing communication between the same, means for actuating said valve, and means for exploding the gas in said firing chamber when the latter is closed, the ignited gas serving to subsequently fire the charge in the main combustion chamber.

16. In an internal combustion engine of the opposed cylinder type, a firing chamber between said cylinders, a rotary valve for periodically establishing communication between said firing chamber and the combustion chambers of said cylinders, and means for igniting the gas in said firing chamber when said valve is in closed position.

17.- The method of firing an internal combustion engine which consists in passing a spark through gas confined in a separate firing chamber and subsequently establishing communication between said firing chamber and the main combustion chamber of the engine for the purpose of igniting the charge in the latter- 18. The method of firing an internal combustion engine which consists in first firing a charge under relatively low pressure and subsequently utilizing the products of combustion to fire a relatively high pressure chargein the main combustion chamber of the engine.

19. The method of firing an internal combustion engine which consists in igniting gas at substantially atmospheric pressure and subsequently utilizing the products'of combustion to fire a high pressure charge in the engine cylinder. i

20. The method of firing an internalcombustion engine havin opposed cylinders which consists in' passing a spark throu h gas in a firing chamber and subsequent y meaeeo ber located adjacent said cylinder, and means for placin the firing chamber in communication with the cylinder at predetermined periods in the operation of the engine.

23. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of opposed cylinders in which the explosive mixture is adapted to be subjected 'to a high pressure, a low pressure firing chamber located between said cylinders,'and I means for placing the said firing chamber in communication with the cylinders at predetermined periods in the operation of the engine:

24. In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder, a low pressure firing chamber, and means for successively compress ingthe explosive mixture in the cylinder, igniting the explosive mixture in the firing chamber and bringing the firing chamber into communication with the cylinder whereby the explosive mixture in the cylinder may be ignited.

25. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of opposed cylinders, an annular firing chamber located between the adjacent ends of the opposed cylinders, spark plugs prochamber, and

jecting within the firin means for placing the firing chamber in communication with the cylinders after the ignition of a charge of explosive mixture in the firing chamber.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have, si ed my name this 10th day 'Jauaery, 191

FINLEY R. PORTER. 

